RB Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State

2020 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

APRIL 15, 2020

NFL Draft 2020 Scouting Report: RB Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State

*Our RB grades can and will change as more information comes in from Pro Day workouts, leaked Wonderlic test results, etc. We will update ratings as new info becomes available.

*We use the term “Power RB” to separate physically bigger, more between-the-tackles–capable RBs from our “speed RBs” group. “Speed RBs” are physically smaller, but much faster/quicker, and less likely to flourish between the tackles.

I think what anyone thinks of Darrynton Evans is probably reflected by what they think of 2019 RB prospect Miles Sanders. Let me set scene by comparing the two, physically…

5’10.1”/205, 9 ¼” hands, 31 5/8” arms = Evans (2020 Combine)

5’10.5”/211, 9 ¼” hands, 30 5/8” arms = Sanders (2019 Combine)

4.41 40-time, 2.60 20-yard, 1.58 10-yard = Evans (2020 Combine)

4.49 40-time, 2.60 20-yard, 1.57 10-yard = Sanders (2019 Combine)

20 bench press reps, 37” vertical, 10’5” broad jump = Evans (2020 Combine)

20 bench press reps, 36” vertical, 10’4” broad jump = Sanders (2019 Combine)

Similar size. Similar speed. Similar strength and leg power. Sanders ran nice three-cone times, Evans didn’t get a chance to run so we can only estimate…but I’ll assume they are similar.

There’s another similarity, I believe – they both play a similar style of game. They ran as three-down RBs in college. Both ran the interior/between the tackles at a smaller than desired size (for the pros)…neither all that great at it, not a great size for it, but they tried…they were acceptable at it but not game-changers running inside.

If I had to describe Evans using the Sanders measuring stick…

First, let me interject – I didn’t think Sanders was a great RB prospect. I thought he was OK. I thought he wasn’t great in the NFL last year…beat out by Jordan Howard after 3-4 weeks, then gained life when Howard got hurt, but then Boston Scott stepped in off the practice squad and looked much better while

College Football Metrics| 1

2020 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

APRIL 15, 2020

Sanders racked up some numbers. It looked like Sanders was ‘great’ or ‘emerging’ late in 2019 season…and the football media has a heart light for this guy that cannot be extinguished…but he was just “OK’, a beneficiary of good touches because the Eagles had little left down the stretch and wouldn’t give Boston Scott more touches (despite Scott saving their asses multiple times late in the season), plus the Eagles faced bad teams down the stretch as Philly backed into the playoffs. So, comparing Evans to Sanders…it’s not like I’m trying to compare him to greatness. I’m comparing Evans to OK-ness (Sanders).

Back to Evans… I’d say Evans is a similar sized, similar speed/agility, slightly tougher and more evasive interior runner than Sanders, but not by a ton. If Sanders is a ‘6’ in my mind, then Evans is a ‘7’. If Sanders can hang in the NFL and tote the water OK as needed…so could Evans and be a bit better.

Now, Evans isn’t coming into the league with the media fanfare/kissassery that Sanders did…despite the fact that Evans had a better career in college, a better best single college season, returned kicks better and ran faster at the Combine. Sanders has one key edge over Evans coming out of college – he followed Saquon Barkley at Penn State, and somehow that’s a secondhand smoke reason to talk about how great Sanders was somehow – which cause the Eagles to make him a ridiculous 2nd-round pick. Meanwhile, in 2020…Evans couldn’t get noticed by the mainstream if he set himself on fire on live TV and is thus slotted for day three of the draft.

At minimum, whatever anyone thinks of Sanders…good or bad…they should think the same of Darrynton Evans.

To me, Evans is a solid, but boring, low-end NFL starter/worker…he will account for himself well in the NFL if given the chance or get buried for a few years before he gets a real shot.

Darrynton Evans, Through the Lens of Our RB Scouting Algorithm:

24 total TDs in 2019 season…18 rushing, 5 receiving, one KR.

Evans returned one kick for a TD in each of his three college seasons (while Miles Sanders was a failed college kick returner).

Evans was the 2019 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year.

In 2018, Evans led the Sun Belt…and the NCAAs in kick return average (32.7 per return).

Led the Sun Belt in rushing in 2018 and 2019.

College Football Metrics| 2

2020 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

APRIL 15, 2020

2020 NFL Draft data:

5’10.1”/205, 9 ¼” hands, 31 5/8” arms

4.41 40-time, 2.60 20-yard, 1.58 10-yard

20 bench press reps, 37” vertical, 10’5” broad jump

The Historical RB Prospects to Whom Darrynton Evans Most Compares Within Our System:

I went through a whole Miles Sanders thing, but when I saw this list – Ronnie Hillman rang my bell. Evans reminds me a lot of Hillman…who was a solid pro. Hillman-Love-Sanders…Evans…all very similar by the word ‘competent’…or the letters ‘OK’.

RB RB- RB- Last First College Yr H H W Speed Agility Power Score Re ru Metric Metric Metric 7.001 7.02 6.51 Evans Darrynton Appalch St. 2020 5 10.1 203 7.80 6.17 7.65 6.362 5.13 5.08 Hillman Ronnie SD State 2012 5 9.1 200 6.54 6.30 6.30 6.026 4.61 6.26 Love Bryce Stanford 2019 5 8.7 200 7.99 7.58 4.98 6.670 6.70 4.91 Sanders Miles Penn St. 2019 5 10.5 211 4.68 7.17 7.11 5.702 5.72 4.82 Hilliard Dontrell Tulane 2018 5 10.5 202 3.52 1.73 7.57

*A score of 8.50+ is where we see a stronger correlation of RBs going on to become NFL good/great/elite. A score of 10.00+ is more rarefied air in our system and indicates a greater probability of becoming an elite NFL RB. All of the RB ratings are based on a 0–10 scale, but a player can score negative, or above a 10.0 in certain instances. Overall rating/score = A combination of several on-field performance measures, including refinement for the strength of opponents faced, mixed with all the physical measurement metrics – then compared/rated historically within our database and formulas. More of a traditional three-down search – runner, blocker, and receiver. *RB-Re score = Our new formula/rating that attempts to identify and quantify a prospect's receiving skills even deeper than in our original formulas. RB prospects can now make it/thrive in the NFL strictly based on their receiving skills – it is an individual attribute sought out for the NFL and no longer

College Football Metrics| 3

2020 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

APRIL 15, 2020

dismissed or overlooked. Our rating combines a study of their receiving numbers in college in relation to their offense and opponents, as well as profiling size-speed-agility along with hand size measurables, etc. *RB-Ru score = Our new formula/rating that attempts to classify and quantify an RB prospect's ability strictly as a runner of the ball. Our rating combines a study of their rushing numbers in college in relation to their offense and strength of opponents, as well as profiling size-speed-agility along with various size measurables, etc. Raw Speed Metric = A combination of several speed and size measurements from the NFL Combine, judged along with physical size profile, and then compared/rated historically within our database and scouting formulas. This is a rating strictly for RBs of a similar/bigger size profile. Agility Metric = A combination of several speed and agility measurements from the NFL Combine, judged along with physical size profile, and then compared/rated historically within our database and scouting formulas. This is a rating strictly for RBs of a similar/bigger size profile.

2020 NFL Draft Outlook:

I see Evans as mostly a day three draft projection, but a few people see top 100 overall pick hope. I’m just thinking with his size and dull roar draft buzz…he’s going outside the top 100 as a guess. 4th-round probably.

If I were an NFL GM, I wouldn’t have any priority on Evans – I’d have more interest in taking Louisiana’s Raymond Calais to use in a duo/tandem backfield than I would in turning over my backfield to Evans all three-downs.

NFL Outlook:

Evans would be just fine/solid/OK/handy and even ‘good’ if given the full shot, I just don’t know if he’s going to get that shot…or that he’ll last long if he does start seeing 200+ carries a season. He just feels like a very solid, forgettable, useful RB prospect…with a small bonus as a kick returner.

College Football Metrics| 4

2020 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

APRIL 15, 2020

All rights reserved. All content is for entertainment purposes only and TFA is not responsible or liable for personal adverse outcomes nor are any game results or forecasting guaranteed. Past results do not predict future outcomes. We are not held liable for any personal loses incurred. We are solely here to produce and provide content for recreational purposes. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email the publisher at [email protected]

Signature______Date______4/15/2020

College Football Metrics| 5